After reading the Warrior of Rome books once again, I couldnīt stand it anymore. A new project was born! For rules Aurelian seems perfect. Written for the 3rd century and I liked Lasalle, so easy choice.I wasnīt so sure with the miniature size: 28mm or 15mm. I really love the A&A miniatures, but after seeing Sir Tobi and Dr Phil Hendry beautiful painted miniatures... So, maily for money and place reasons I will go with 15mm. I allreday have some terrain for 15mm. For the manufacture I will take Forged in Battle. They look really nice.Because I am new to the 3rd century as a wargaming period I have some questions regarding the FiB range, equipment... So for the experts:

1. Were auxiliary archers without armor in the 3rd century? FiB has only unarmored archers in their 3rd century range.

2. How long were rectangular scutums used? FiB has only round shields in their 3rd century range, but I really like the mixed look of the A&A units with both shield types.

3. Aurelian uses markers for disruption. I want to use the casualty markers from war bases with dead miniatures from Donnington. Other ideas?

4. I want to build a roman and german army for Aurelian. In the rules the term Germans is used for the different german tribes. FiB only have early Germans. Are they to early? Can I use their Franks range? Or mix them?

5. The Germans in Aurelian have optimates as heavy infantry. FiB donīt have german heavy infantry. Can I use their Saxons instead?

6. Aurelian doesnīt use command stands, but I want to have one and to mark the fate options. Can I use the FiB late republican command stand as roman generals for the 3rd century?

I also posted in a german forum where Sir Tobi ist aktive, but maybe someone here can also help.

1. Were auxiliary archers without armor in the 3rd century? FiB has only unarmored archers in their 3rd century range.

By the end of the period, almost certainly.

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2. How long were rectangular scutums used? FiB has only round shields in their 3rd century range, but I really like the mixed look of the A&A units with both shield types.

They were being phased out early in the 3rd century.

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4. I want to build a roman and german army for Aurelian. In the rules the term Germans is used for the different german tribes. FiB only have early Germans. Are they to early? Can I use their Franks range? Or mix them?

To my knowledge, there's no change in the appearance of the Germanic barbarians over these 2-3 centuries, except in the degree to which they appropriate current Roman kit.

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5. The Germans in Aurelian have optimates as heavy infantry. FiB donīt have german heavy infantry. Can I use their Saxons instead?

The way you base them will be the easiest way to tell them apart - not the figures themselves, which are highly variable and individualistic.

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6. Aurelian doesnīt use command stands, but I want to have one and to mark the fate options. Can I use the FiB late republican command stand as roman generals for the 3rd century?

There's no real "uniform" for a legate or high-ranking officer, although people remarked on Septimus Severus in the late 2nd century looking very "barbarian" with his beard and trousers. A change was obviously underway.

I am currently working on the A&A figures, and like you, had many questions about historical validity. Especially the use of the rectangular Scutum. Since I wish to cover the entire period of the Third Century Crisis, I am more flexible to include the above scutum alongside round and oval ones. However, if I were you, I would consider the following: the famous Dura-Europos shield, found in the city that bears its name, has recently been dated by Yale University to be from the mid third century. It was found in what may have been the remains of an armory alongside 2 other rectangular and three, if memory serves me correctly, round shields. Now, Dura Europos was sacked by the Sassanids in 256 CE, and never re-inhabited. So, that means to me, that those rectangular shields were still part of the inventory in 256. So, it is more than feasible that Aurelian's army had units so equipped. Maybe you can represent that by giving the Rectangular shields to raw cohorts, or go the opposite end, and reserve the 'ancient shields' for the veteran cohorts. I think I am mixing mine.